Family Matters
by Clement Rage
Summary: the points of view of the soul reaver one bosses.may feature turel later.
1. Chapter 1

this is a story about the points of view of the bosses in sr.I might also do turel 

Melchiah.

Author's note: my first fic. Critics, please be constructive.i don't own eidos, etc.

Melchiah stirred. Hearing the drill being operated, he sighed. Raziel had taken two whole weeks to shift into the spectral realm, even with that dead Dumahim as a clue. Now he was finally approaching, to destroy his brother, in line with his rage and Kain's plan. As if he had been summoned by the thought, Kain appeared in the room, directly under the huge meat grinder. Instantly misting, he drifted forward, rematerializing in front of Melchiah's dais. No longer able to kneel, Melchiah bowed his head.

"Melchiah."

"Master."

"Raziel is angry. He will be brutal, having recently passed through the ruins of his clan territories. I can take you away. One of my brood must be spared, for I may be destroyed by William's tomb."

"And you choose me, the weakest of your brood? Have the others refused?"

"You are the most perceptive. Only you have gleaned my plan."

"You wish to test your free will..." Melchiah's features no longer allowed him to smile, but Kain sensed his amusement anyway. Lord Kain was not one to meekly accept fate. "No…let him come. He shall release me from this form."

The last gate between Melchiah and Raziel opened. Kain stepped back and vanished, but Melchiah sensed him still there, watching. He would be masked from Raziel, of course. Melchiah retreated into the shadows of his dais and waited.

Soon, Raziel entered, looking around nervously as though expecting the reaver to fall from the sky. Melchiah telekinetically lowered the gate behind him, some last minute drama to amuse him. Raziel still hadn't seen him, so he decided an ominous moan was appropriate. Startled, Raziel exclaimed, "Show yourself, creature!" as though he couldn't sense his brother. Starting forward slowly, Melchiah said dryly "Do you not recognize me brother? Am I so changed?" Of course he was changed, any idiot could see that. Even Raziel. Proving it with his next statement of "Melchiah?" in tones of utter disbelief. _No, I'm Dumah, you idiot.who do you expect in the heart of melchahim territory,William the just? _Melchiah detached from conversation, answering automatically, barely catching himself from revealing Kain's entire plan.

Suddenly he realized Raziel had attacked him. Glancing up at the meat grinder, he thought_ I'm not making it that easy for you, destined to kill me as you are._ Then Raziel caught him on the face, and he reflexively lashed out. Raziel was knocked backwards and Melchiah followed up instinctively. Staggering, Raziel vanished. Shifting to spectral, Melchiah struck at him before he could get over the surprise of ,Melchiah his brother being able to shift. Raziel vanished again. Returning to material, he moved to one side of the entrance and waited, marveling that Raziel had become such a poor fighter.

A few minutes later, Raziel returned. This time he was cautious and hid in the side chambers. Blithely walking towards him as though he had no idea what he was up to, Melchiah felt pain for the first time in three centuries. Telekinetically loosening the controls for the meat grinder, making sure it caught Raziel's eye, Melchiah 'followed' Raziel under the drill. He managed to knock him into the spectral realm twice before Raziel could get to the controls quick enough. Amused at his brother's incompetence, Melchiah thrust himself into the center of the room to give him no margin for error in pulling the lever.

"Where is Kain?"

_He's in this room, staring at you. But for your purposes he's in the obvious place, you passed it on your way here .Hmmm…Maybe I'll let him figure it out, or say something like, gone fishing on the lake of the dead. Perhaps swimming. But then, if Raziels brain has been damaged by the lake…_

He said something ominous, for the feel of the thing. Hinting at things enough to make his brother angry and release the lever. As a salve to any conscience Raziel might have he said "I am released" as he felt the metal teeth in his back and dissolved in a cloud of blood and dust.

The world shifted…

Melchiah felt something tugging at his soul and relinquished the part of it that was Kains. He was extremely satisfied to hear Raziel's fast fading voice "Am I reduced to this? A ghou-". The voice faded, but another, a powerful one spoke next, fast fading also, but so much louder than the other. "Elevated, Raziel, not reduc-". Four tentacles sprang into being around the room as the voice said, no longer fading, "You are still conscious. How interesting. A powerful, useful soul you can be, but first you must be claimed." The nearest tentacles lunged. Melchiah lashed out, one powerful claw creating deep gauges along the surface of the skin/scales. The tentacle reeled, and, like the vampire that he was, Melchiah absorbed the essences, converting them into a blast of energy he fired at the second tentacle, knocking it back. There was definite pain in the voice when it said "Impressive. But I am a patron of this plane of existence far longer than you, and I know how to manipulate my surroundings. This is neither spectral or material realms, and Raziel has absorbed the fragment of your soul animating the body you lived in. Your soul is strong, but your vessel is weak. You are no match for me."

"No match for you, perhaps, but easily a match for those few appendages you devote to me. And if you could summon more, you would have done. I am not without abilities of my own."

"Perceptive of you. Your soul, powerful enough to dent reality, attracts no more than 'these few appendages'. They are enough. I shall have to devote more to your brothers. Especially Raziel. Yet your vessel grows weaker as we speak."

_An unfortunate statement, that. You could have kept me talking another while._

The tentacles, somehow noticing him moving, moved to touch the meat grinder above his head. It crackled with blue lightning and began to descend. Melchiah thrust up a giant claw, and pushed. The blades began to cut through his claw, but he didn't dare thrust up the other one. Slowly lurching to the edge of the blade, he found he could not pass through. The voice chuckled. "Having bestowed your phasing ability onto Raziel, you can no longer pass through. You are doomed. Give in to me. Spare yourself pain."

An entire talon, sheared off by the blades, landed in front of him. Swallowing it, he used the burst of energy he received to shove the blade behind. It shredded most of Melchiah's arm and tail, plus some of the cage and one of the tentacles. Swallowing the shredded parts of himself, he used the burst of energy to propel himself across the room and out of the cage when the voice raised the blade again to re-drop it. Snatching up a fallen bar in the cage, he thrust it through a tentacle and converted it, firing the energy at the one remaining tentacle, which tried to dive into the ground. Catching it, Melchiah yanked it from the earth and absorbed it, depositing the energy in the center of the meat grinder, where it would eventually starve.

Limping to his dais, Melchiah stared sadly at his ruined arm. Moving would be even more awkward than it had been. Suddenly his skin split along his spine, peeling off like the skin of a potato. Laughing softly, Melchiah said aloud, "That was embarrassing." Hadn't he wished to be free of this form to Kain earlier? Wondering where he was, evidently neither spectral or material realms, as the voice had called them, he lamented having to spend time in this form even after death. Wondering whether Raziel was still in the room, he glanced over at the cage to notice it was fully restored. Interesting. Thought. He had so much time for thought, locked in this mysterious place. Why waste it all at once? Suddenly he found himself reminiscing about the glory of the empire before he had devolved. How beautiful everything had been then, even the humans. Even Melchiah. Suddenly he morphed into himself in his prime. Startled, he examined his new body. Finding it satisfactory, even wonderful, he double somersaulted onto the protruding top of a pillar. Limbo was going to be more fun than he had expected.

If anyone reads this:

_Do you think I made melchiah too vain?_

_Next up Kain in the sanctuary.Enjoy_


	2. Chapter 2

**Kain**

Kain teleported to the plaza in front of the sanctuary directly from Melchiah's territory, feeling almost teary. To know that one of his sons, at least, would die for him. Willingly. All would die, to restore nosgoth for humanity. A bitter legacy. The legacy of Kain.

Misting through the first grate, he thought to open it. Then he realized Raziel would have absorbed Melchiah's 'gift', and tore the controls out of the wall as something struck him from behind. Immolating the hapless dumahim, he strode towards the bridge room, leaving the blood for the dogs that flourished in his ruined empire. In the bridge room, he was confronted by two starving dumahim either too stupid or too scared to work the controls. They were still able to speak though and one said in a dry voice. "Challenge. You. No Reaver. No gifts. Agree?" Angrily Kain acquiesced, and one of the dumahim walked to the end of the bridge, facing hi the other staying behind him. _Not too stupid to think tactic's, I notice._

Surprisingly cleverly, the dumahim were careful to maneover him towards the water, but Kain was an experienced fighter and the dumahim didn't dare face their own backs to water. Not using Fury took so much concentration that Kain almost fell several times, and he began to worry he would still be engaged when Raziel arrived. So his foot shot out and took the legs from under the nearest dumahim, and darting around, he fixed his claws on the dumahim's armour and threw him at the other one. They collapsed in a crumpled heap. Placing cloven feet on each throat, he asked "Submit?" They nodded. He stepped aside, and was thrown into the water by their combined desperate charge. Keeping his feet and his head through the pain he walked as slowly as he dared towards the edge of the pool. Hoisting himself out, he gave in to Fury. The dumahim bounced off the wall, and kain snagged their life force and tied it to the doors. He teleported to the pillars room and sat down, nursing his burning legs. They would take hours to heal.

Shortly afterwards Kain heard the grating noise of the granite doors closing. He got to his feet and leaned against his throne, beginning to count. Fifteen seconds later he heard them opening. Raziel had real power, to win that quickly. The doors to the pillars chamber opened. Raziel stepped through.

"Raziel"

"Kain!"

There was real fear in the voice, as though Kain could really harm him. Raziel, on hearing him say, truthfully "The abyss has been unkind." responded defensively. He talked of his clan, as though he would not have absorbed his 'sons' as readily as his 'nephews'. Finally, kain became angry. "Conscience! You dare to speak to me of conscience! Your lifespan, is a flicker compared to the mass of doubt and regret that I have borne since Mortanius first turned me from the light! Only when you have felt the full gravity of choice should you dare question my judgment! Could you even conceive what you would choose in my position?"

"I would choose integrity, kain" As though integrity was so clear. Menacingly. Laughing, kain spread his arms. It was time to end this charade. More would follow, of course. "Look around you, Raziel. The clans scattered to the corners of nosgoth. This empire has outlasted its usefulness…As have you."

_As have you? If only you knew. _

Kain drew the reaver. Pausing long enough for Raziel to recall what he knew about the blade, kain teleported across the room and aimed a projectile. In Raziels moment of uncertainty, he had lost time, and the projectile vanquished him. He returned instantly, and this time he reached kain and struck him. Teleporting again, Kain reappeared at a different spot. Raziel reached him just before he launched the projectile and got in a bite to the face. Clutching at his face, kain blindly fired the projectile and heard Raziel fall. Recovering, he teleported over and struck down raziel with the blade as he was about to get up. The sword disintegrated in his hand, and Raziel began to fade. Saying something taunting about destiny, making sure to anger Raziel, he laughed relievedly. It had worked. Teleporting away, he reminded himself to return and see if Ariel would come out of hiding now that she had someone to council.


	3. Chapter 3

**Zephon**

Zephon stirred. The priestess was subverting his territory again, possessing as many worshippers, hunters, and vampires as she and her apprentices could control. The insect mind was difficult to focus, but he had managed to order his clan to attack only by sneakily picking off the apprentices, then hide. He could tear any of his clan from her grasp if they got close enough, but he did not want her to escape and inhabit another body, as she had done before. He was tired of this. Though it would be gratifying to have her devoured by raziel, he wished to finish this. It was…irritating. The priestess, not noticing her army was getting smaller and smaller as her apprentices died, zephonim moved out of thralling range and humans realized the idiocy of their task. The dead apprentices were revived as zephonim and sent against their former comrades.

He could feel _her_ every footstep forward with her thirty soldiers, the vibrations echoing up to his chamber. He felt her step up on a zephonim with an enthralled hunter on another. Tempted to regain control of the zephonim halfway up the wall, he resisted. He needed her in here. She released her hold on the rest of the squad, which scuttled away, lay flat, or fled. Except one. A human vampire hunter raised his crossbow. Zephon struck the floor. The tremor made the hunter stagger, and the bolt cut a furrow on the side of her neck. Zephon felt every drop of blood strike the stone and fought down a rising urge to tell his offspring to kill them all. Instead, he sent

_stay docile_

frantically, as the nearly dislodged priestess focused all her powers on the human. Trusting him, his fledgling resisted the urge to shake her off. Her hunter companion hung on grimly as his mount flailed. And the human below resisted, staggering, his sweat dripping on the stones as he shook off her influence and ran. And now she was sweating, seriously worried. The slight tremble in her grip as the zephonim continued climbing, absent mindedly licking up her blood as it passed the stain, radiated through the zephonim and entered the stones in the wall, where zephon felt it. When she reached the top of the wall, she dismounted and plucked her staff from the sheath on her back. Stiffening her resolve, she entered his chamber, flanked by one fledgeling and one adult vampire, both tired from climbing with creatures twice their weight clinging to their backs. Zephon retreated to the shadows, speaking as a shadowy form.

"Nervous, are we? This is the second time you've come to my chamber, and the fifth time you've attacked the cathedral. I will not die by your hand. But you have died by mine twice now. This time, you will be destroyed. Flee, thrall, and you shall be spared."

The human swallowed nervously, and discharged his weapon. "You fear flame. As you burn, I shall be glorified eternally."

"No. You will be absorbed by the creature beside you, as a powerful soul to augment her strength."

The priestess cut in. "I have more than enough energy in these two thralls, bestial though they are. Your subjects, Zephon, will die by their own hand. As will you." Her voice was as melodious as when he'd first heard, and fallen in love with it.

"Think you so? Your threats have no more substance than your vows of loyalty to kain did. Watch." He broke her hold on the Zephonim, who dropped into their attack position. The hunter saved her life, as both zephonim retreated from the flames and went to their master. But she was frightened now. Zephon stepped out of the shadows. Nervously, the hunter said "I recall you saying if I fled, I should be spared?"

Zephon laughed. "I lied. Even if I had not, you attacked my offspring. Do not worry. You will not know you are dying. But she will." A green projectile struck him. Flinching, he let the insect mind take over. The human was surprisingly formidable, enflaming a number of his eggs, burning away the webs that were flung on him. In comparison, the priestess spent most of her time conjuring a green shield that shattered every time zephon touched it, and firing projectiles that missed on account of her continually diving aside. One of his flaming eggs burst and a fully sentient zephonim burst out, diving for the hunter's throat. He dodged, but was borne to the ground, alive. Using the respite from the flames well, Zephon attached the priestess to the wall with a dab of fibrous glue, knocking the staff from her hand. Turning, he ripped out the throat of the dazed vampire hunter just as he got to his feet with the zephonim in a charred heap. Saluting a brave opponent in spite of himself, he turned again and entwined the priestess in a full cocoon, leaving a tiny space for the mouth. Turning, he noticed the fire was getting out of hand and tried in vain to quench it. Noticing a slight smile emanating from the cocoon, he ripped it off the wall and thrust it into the heart of the flames, waiting for the screams before taking it out, allowing her to take a breath. Mist was curling in from the corners of the room. Mist? Inside, during a fire? Quenching the fire? Impossible.

The mist formed into Kain, of course, sweating furiously from the soles of his feet, the only place on his body capable of sweating still. Ironic, that cloven feet can sweat where on other creatures cloven feet are incapable of sweating. Zephon once had wondered how he kept his balance, but had never dared ask. Inclining his head towards the one place the fire burned strongly, the flamethrower, Kain said almost apologetically "It's magical, much like the fire forge."

"Thank you. It might have been troublesome. Could I have your permission to destroy this rebel?" Indicating, of course the cocoon. Kain nodded, looking amused. The priestess made sobbing noises. Zephon ripped off the web from her head

"Have you anything to say?"

"Kain! How could you? After all I've done for preserving your empire, you leave me to this. Zephon had me kidnapped for his own amusement. You know he did it before!"

"I was here, girl. I saw. You may either submit to zephon or have me personally cast you to the abyss. Since the birth of my empire you abused your position. Die."

Zephon impaled her, ripping all her magic from her dying corpse and bestowing it on a stone in the wall as zephon merged with his cathedral, its stones became semi sentient, and the stone for years afterwards was renowned for possessing rats and having them glue chips of stone to its frame and casting a shield whenever it rained, so it never got eroded. It then became worshipped by a cult and enjoyed immortality, releasing her soul to wander defenseless against any wandering sluagh. "How long were you there?" Zephon asked curiously. "Since 'I will be glorified forever'. Zephon, Raziel is coming to destroy you. He will succeed. I can take you away."

"I can no longer leave this room. I can guarantee Raziel a contest, even if Melchiah is destroyed."

"Farewell."

Kain vanished. Before long, faint screams and movements of stone on stone suggested Raziel was in the building. He was becoming used to the block puzzles and progressed quickly. When he came inside the room, Zephon said to himself, appalled at his brothers form "The prodigal son… There is no returning for you Raziel. Then the insect mind took over, provoking, lamenting. Zephon was unable to reclaim control of his mind in time to save himself from being burned. But he felt some grim satisfaction when he knocked Raziel into spectral and felt the priestess being absorbed to help Raziel recover, Grinning inwardly as he heard the scream.

_The world shifted…_

He was in his chamber, but it was…different. Somehow. Nervously he laid a couple of eggs, making sure they were zephonim. Six tentacles sprang from the floor, and a voice said "Fire does not exist in this plane, how to deal with you. Ah…yes.' A sound piercing enough to bring zephon to his knees, if he had knees, whistled through the air. Cowering, he retreated, allowing the insect mind to take the brunt of the sound, designed to destroy the mind. Emerging, he found he was wrapped in three tentacles, constricting. He laid a dozen eggs, then hatched them. The zephonim attacked the tentacles, and when they loosened, zephon ripped them to shreds. The other three tentacles dived into the ground, relying on the sound to vanquish him. Desperately trying to escape, he wished he was smaller, and then he was. In a form not unlike an adult of his clan, he fled his chamber, his home, for the first time in over six centuries. One by one his retinue succumbed to the sound. He tore off his ears in pain, but this was a sound that cut the mind. Coming to the grille at the entrance of the cathedral, he morphed himself into a fly and passed through. Instantly a tentacle re-appeared and tried to swat him, but by then he'd transformed back into a zephonim, and was merely seriously injured. Becoming his evolved form again, he struggled as two tentacles entwined around him while another absorbed energy from his wounds. The third tentacle was ripped from the earth suddenly, and the backflow of energy surged into him, allowing him to fight off the tentacles, one of which fled, the other trying still to absorb him, and being flung into the grille so Zephon could impale it. Collapsing into an exhausted heap, Zephon said aloud, somehow hearing himself without ears, still knowing the sound would destroy him, "What god favours me?" He was not expecting a response, but some one said "No god, just me." A grinning Melchiah dragged him away from the lethal sound, knowing that Zephon would never live it down.

_So… did you like it? help, I've forgotten rahab and dumah's dialogue. Please read and review. I reread this and thought zephon got away too easy and it was rushed, so i re-wrote the ending_


	4. meeting

**Meeting**

Out of ingrained, if long neglected, habit, Melchiah and Zephon talked in the abandoned sanctuary. They both assumed their evolved forms, to look as intimidating as possible. Zephon was absolutely enraged that he'd been rescued by his inferior, and Melchiah didn't intend to show a moment of weakness. Also out of habit, they were each standing beneath their banners, out of each others reach. Patient as the grave, they waited for the other to speak. Zephon weakened first.

"Why did you…come to me?"

"Brotherly love?" Dripping with sarcasm. Zephon had always seized on every opportunity to mock his brother, sensitive about being one of the weakest clans. "I believe the term is rescue, by the way." A sigh. "I know we have never been…friendly, but I wanted, needed, a break from monotony. Even pointless power struggles. In any event, I did not wish to hand a powerful soul such as yourself to the…entity that revived our brother. Imagine the havoc he might cause having the five most powerful souls in nosgoth in thrall to him."

"Perhaps you are correct. I have always regarded you as inferior, yet you showed no reaction to the sound of the pipes. And I find myself in debt, due to monotony. And yet…I need you. This plane is strange to me."

Each brother was making admissions they should never have made in life. Zephon suddenly laid a dozen eggs. "I have instantly a retinue. They could help you greatly in hunting."

"How did you plan to sustain them? What is there to hunt in this realm? Yet… they could help. Once they know what to hunt. Perhaps we could help each other. My other retinue is even less trustworthy."

"Oh? What is this then? Wraiths?"

"Close. Come to me."

A dozen sluagh sidled out of the shadows. A startled Zephon ordered his fledglings to attack. It was interesting to watch. The zephonim were far more efficient fighters, but they couldn't destroy their foes. A defeated sluagh merely became transparent and fled, returning once it reformed. The sluagh drained their defeated zephonim of their souls. Once he saw this, zephon destroyed a couple by using his rusty soul devouring skills, normally reserved for creating vampires and feeding on souls once dead. But his zephonim did not have this skill, being only fledglings, and fled the sluagh, hiding behind their master. Melchiah called off his sluagh, realizing Zephon would rip them to shreds.Zephon was surprised.

"How did you convince these creatures to hunt for you?"

"Self interest. I'm better at finding food." He held out a couple of green orbs.

Zephon snatched at it. Melchiah jerked back, and the soul dived into a wall before the sluagh could try to absorb it. "These are inedible, by us, at least. My …allies find them nourishing. We may feed on these curious diamonds." e held out something that looked more like a slice of a cake than a diamond to Zephon. Absorbing it, Zephon felt his ears begin to heal faster. They exited the sanctuary together, behaving almost like friends.

_I think I pretty much abandoned the personalities they had in the other chapters. This chapter is terrible, but I wanted to see how they'd interact. Comments, anyone?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Rahab**

Rahab stirred. This abbey was so perfect for his needs, it almost annoyed him. It did impede other vampires from entering, though. He raised the door as Kain strode in, who had been too cautious to teleport. He had been expecting him ever since Melchiah's existence winked out in his head. Regal as ever, Kain was about to speak when Zephon's existence winked out. They both winced. Rahab spoke first.

"He will be here in minutes, if he uses the warp gates, master."

Kain shook his head. "I had them de-activated. He cannot get nearer than the sanctuary, and the tomb of the sarafan will delay him. We have time to talk."

"Have you anything in mind? Some last minute reminiscence?"

A laugh. "Well, I came to perhaps allow you to escape the others' fate, but I notice it is impossible for you to leave the water. I must leave you to your fate."

Rahab inclined his head. Kain bent down, and his burnt legs betrayed him. Only rahab's hand had prevented him from stumbling into the water. It was wet, but Kain had only to fear being immersed. Continuing his movement, he picked up a handful of water and let it run between his talons. "My complements to your gift. This was the most skilled, controlled evolution I had ever seen. Magnus, or even Vorador, could not have equaled it." He was no longer talking to Rahab. "And I sacrifice another loyal to me, though he even rescued me from immersion, for my firm belief in-"his tone turned contemptuous "-the greater good. Like the sarafan, the hylden, and the ancients, and what did they achieve? Exile and death. Perhaps I am more naïve than I know. And yet, the rewards may be great, even if only humans are left to enjoy them. Minus Moebius and whoever controls him and raised Raziel, of course." He came back to himself. "I would say farewell, Rahab, as I did to Melchiah and Zephon, but you have heard and know your fate. I am sorry. Goodbye." He vanished, looking, sounding, and smelling regretful, and Rahab was almost overcome by a sense of awe. His lord had to destroy everything he'd built, to risk on one last chance, to rebuild the world. And his sons had to be destroyed to do it. And the notion was destroying Kain, unless he was a supernaturally good actor. So raziel would come. And he would be destroyed. Not killed, as Dumah was now, but destroyed. He could still sense Dumah, albeit in an abstract way, but the others had winked out. He summoned two Rahabim and said, with a sense of finality, "Bring me my journal."

He had kept a journal throughout his life, a full 3000 years of it. By now, it was a massive tome, and it took two rahabim to turn a page. He had invented a waterproof pen, ink, and paper that, with care, would take 10,000 years to decay. Too much had been lost, and perhaps someone would find it in centuries to come. Allowing the rahabim to write, a huge honour, he recorded his thoughts and memories of the day, not missing his discussion with Kain. The first sentence was "This will be the last entry under the name of Rahab." He ended with his fears and musings about his forthcoming fight with his brother. The last sentence ended with three dots. As the screams began that wreathed raziel, no matter human, vampire, or wraith, he ordered the two Rahabim to put it in the vault, with them guarding it, and not to come out until they felt kains presence leaving nosgoth. He waited. Some time later raziel entered the room. He complemented Rahab on his evolution. He became indignant when Rahab did not fall over with awe at the name of the sarafan. Then he attacked. Rahab knocked him into the water time and time again, but Raziel rematerialized a couple of seconds later, and eventually managed to destroy him by smashing the windows. As he burned, his only thoughts were for kain and how his plan had better be worth all this pain.

_The world shifted…_

Rahab blinked, then submerged as a large light began to glow on the center of the room. A voice said "Rahab."

"Are you Mortanius?"

A pause.

"Yes. Come to the light. You shall be released."

Rahab laughed shortly. "Light has just destroyed me. Try another ruse, creature."

"Very well." Tentacles sprang up all over the room, but Rahab was far too agile in the water for any to get close. He killed three tentacles, before the window restored itself. And Rahab for the first time, tested his most recent stage in his evolution. His tail split. He stood up and fled the room, just managing to escape before another tentacle crashed therough the window. A trifle unsteady on his feet, he stood in the doorway and destroyed the tentacles with projectiles. Normally, that would not have worked, but the creature had devoted too much energy to the globe and was easily defeated. Sniggering, Rahab left the abbey and headed for the sanctuary. Melchiah and Zephon had just returned to his awareness. How interesting…

_So… what do you think? I really like this one. Please review._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Y**ay, no flames yet. And I made a favorites list .Enjoy. This probably isn't as good as the others, but it has some valiant humans, which is a change._

**Dumah**

Dumah stirred. His tripwires sang. Someone was coming.

Over the long years in the spectral realm, he had developed a method of seeing into the material realm. It was difficult, but it worked, along with his tripwires, that, when set correctly, could detect movement in the material plane. He called it the Periscope. Looking through, he saw Kain striding towards his throne, in the purposeful, easy strides that were his trademark. Kain strode up to Dumah's recumbent form, placed a hand on one of the stakes pinning him to his throne, and hesitate. Shaking his head, he said "Dumah, you can probably hear me, if I know the average wraith. I was going to perhaps allow you to escape Raziel, but I cannot teleport you and, newly revived, you could never get to the chronoplast in time. I am sorry." He vanished.

Dumah was absolutely enraged. Kain dared to come here, give him false hope, then vanish with an apology? If he had been revived, he almost certainly would have attacked, especially as Kain had apparently forgotten the reaver and was slightly unsteady on his feet. _I could knock him out with one hand, and only didn't because he had the sword to fall back on. _And that, he knew, was the exact reason Kain had hesitated when he was about to take out the stake and return Dumah to life, exactly like the first time. And Dumah remembered that extremely well. Oh yes

-

Dumah rose unwillingly from his deep, contented sleep. A panicked Dumahim called, if he remembered correctly, Arran, was frantically trying to rouse him. "What?" he said irritably.

"The humans, my lord, they are in the citadel. Over half the clan has fled the city."

"WHAT?" Dumah sat up. "How many are they?"

"Just over two hundred, we believe. You recall the furnace was sabotaged three days ago? A human adapted the sunlight glyph to pierce the clouds, and all our fledglings outside were struck down. The rest are cowering in shadowy corners The adults were too disorientated to put up a fight until much later, and by then half had fled, thinking they were under attack from a huge force. All the humans are soaked through, and they've invented a weapon akin to glass globes of water. No one can get anywhere near them, and anyone who tries is impaled by crossbow bolts before they can blink. And then burnt to ashes. They are steadily converging on this room, sire."

Dumah looked around. There were three straws on the ground, one broken. They'd drawn lots to tell him. This was bad. "How many vampires is there in the immediate vicinity?"

"235. You sent a thousand to attack the human citadel, about another fled, and the rest are dead."

"Things aren't as bad as they seem. We'll hold out."

It was then that the humans burst through the doors, slamming them behind and positioning a huge tank of water on the lintel. His three guards were glassed in the face. He counted. 113. They'd taken losses. He stood up, and the first ballista bolt flung him into the chair, effectively nailing him to it. He had to give them credit, they knew how to move, these humans. It had taken them about fifteen seconds to load, aim, and fire, and they had two more. Realizing he was going to die, he Shouted 'help me' to anyone listening. Shouting was like Whispering except less subtle. Any vampire in the vicinity would hear it. He tried to get up, but as well as nailing him to the chair; they'd somehow chained him to it without him noticing. The humans were having trouble firing the machine again, though, some sort of chain had snapped, and the other two hadn't as efficient a crew and were still loading. A number of dumahim began pounding at the doors. Dumah had a chance yet.

Kain materialized in the room, already beginning to exasperatedly reprimand him for wasting his lord's time, when an unbelievably alert and skilledor lucky human glassed him in the face. Normally, this wouldn't have done much more than make him wince briefly, but his mouth had been open, and no vampire that ever existed could shrug off shards of glass washed down your throat. Kain collapsed and vanished, retching wildly, coughing blood. The crew on the left had loaded their ballistae, and another bolt struck Dumah. This time, blood flooded from the wound before it closed, sealing the bolt in his flesh, impossible to extract. Seeing this, the leader of the humans raised a cheer. He then made a big mistake, thinking he had already won. He gloated.

" Not so proud now, are you? We slaughtered your army at thirty to one odds, the 'weakling human cattle'. We couldn't have done it against Melchiah, only your overblown arrogance paved the way. That bolt is sealed in you, if I'm any judge, and while Kain is probably strong enough to remove it, if he survived that globeand he could, the tricky bastard is a tough nut, I don't think he'll be hugely pleased with you, will he? Your clan was massacred by two hundred humans, which as everyone knows is the most physical in the empire. Is that good for morale? His idiot son had the empire quaking in their boots after being massacred by humans. Even if your dumahim were able to pull it out, they'd hardly be pleased either,hmm? Enjoy oblivion. The only person going to pull out this stake is the one who'll kill you for good. I'll bet on-"

Kain smashed open the main doors, accompanied by a couple of hundred dumahim, just as the leader stepped within range and Dumah took a clumsy swing. The human danced backwards nimbly, and sidestepped the ballista trajectory. But the engineers had just had the fear of the gods put in them by kain and the dumahim, and were clumsier than before. Meanwhile, Kain stepped smartly backwards as the water tank perched on the door lintel fell onto the charging dumahim. He then Jumped the pool and bore down on the ballistae, throwing the reaver like a javelin at the leader. First mistake. The leader dodged-barely- and the sword scored his armour before falling to the ground. Naturally, he bent to pick it up. Kain hesitated. Second mistake. Then he lunged at the human leader, firing telekinetic projectiles at the ballistae. Third mistake. He should have done the opposite. He took the leader's head off with a punch, then immolated the ballistae, giving one just enough time to launch the final bolt, which killed Dumah instantly. The entire Dumahim clan simultaneously fell to there knees in shock, allowing the remaining humans to escape unpursued, and, incidentally, the thousand strong force sent to attack the human citadel, having breached the wall, were massacred to a man. That was when Kain hesitated in removing the stake, which Dumah remembered well, even though he was dead by then.

-

Returning to the present, he wandered over to his corpse, and sat down in his chair. Rahab winked out in his mind. Of course, when he was dead, all his perceptions had faded, but to have one wink out entirely! So Raziel was coming for him. Dumah was mildly curious as to what he looked like. He himself had changed little since his death, or so he thought, he hadn't seen a mirror since his death. But he knew normal wraiths generally changed to a hooded cloak with eyes, and it puzzled him why he hadn't. Oh, but just to be in existence again would be almost worth being devoured, just to inhabit a body in the world briefly, to feel some of his children obeying his every word. But that would not happen. If Raziel could destroy the others, he could destroy Dumah. The Turel battle would be interesting, they'd always been evenly matched as vampires, but Turel, if he focused on what he was doing, could almost always somehow catch him by surprise with some annoying little punch or sidestep that completely derailed Raziels strategy at the last second. Upon which Raziel became enraged and would fling himself at Turel, and end up smashing head first into a pillar or wall, with Turel directly behind him laughing. This didn't happen often, however, as Turel was well aware of the politics of the empire, and now and again lost when he didn't have to. On the days where Turel was distracted, he often got beaten to a pulp. On the days where Raziel refused to get angry, anything could happen. Dumah wished he could be there to watch. It would be most entertaining. He sat back on his throne and dozed, patiently waiting for his doom.

Some time later, his tripwires sang again. Looking through the Periscope, he watched Raziel advance, fascinated. He was just teeth, bone, and muscle tissue. Plus his faded, upside down clan banner, wrapped around his face like a shroud. Shifting the position of his perceptions, he watched his brother advance on his corpse and wrench out the stakes. Dumah flung himself into his corpse and drew a ragged breath. He thanked his brother gratefully for resurrecting him, who responded with "I come not to save it but to claim it." Or something similar, Dumah wasn't really listening. He was listening to his ragged breathing, feeling the blood flowing in his veins, and unlocking his stiff joints, for the first time in centuries. This thought did rouse him enough to think sarcastically

_Really? I thought you were planning to kill the other brothers so we could rule nosgoth hand in hand_ _, let bygones be bygones and live happily ever after. I mean, after killing your brothers because they happened to witness –Witness! –your execution, what's the logical thing to do? Oh yes, promote to high honours the brother who gave you 'a helping hand'? But answer me this , brother of mine. Would you have spoke on my behalf had our positions been reversed? Hardly. So don't talk to me as a righteous avenger._

While he was thinking this, Dumah had been talking disinterestedly to Raziel. Years in the abyss hadn't improved his conversational skills, but that was hardly his fault. And he had the reaver. Incorporeal and buzzing as it was, he'd always remember the resonance, hauntingly familiar with an alien tinge that came to the fore when it devoured a soul. Not unlike Raziel's current scent, actually. So that was why Kain didn't have it.

Raziel attacked him with it, but even the reaver couldn't damage his armour overmuch. Clumsily Dumah swung, and was slightly surprised when not only did it connect, but afterwards he could drain energy from the wound. Raziel bolted, even as the reaver vanished, and with smoke trailing from the torch in his hand, broke the connection. Dumah lumbered after him, trying to ease the stiffness in his bones. Perhaps he could know the pleasure of beating his brother in combat at least once.

On the threshold of the furnace room, he paused as a faint hissing came to his ears. He sniffed._ Very clever, Raziel. But I happen to know that the day before my unfortunate demise, the ignition mechanism was removed. How do you plan to ignite it?_

He was four long strides into the room before he realized. Raziel bolted, even as the reaver vanished,** and with smoke trailing from the torch in his hand…**_Dumah, you idiot. _Then the pain. The searing, burning pain.

_The world shifted..._

A voice said "All the brothers have defeated me in turn. I have no environmental hazards to loose on this one. I have lost." Dumah blinked. This wasn't the spectral realm, nor was it the material. But his senses of the brothers had burst into existence as soon as he had arrived. Seeking familiarity, he decided to head towards it. Perhaps Rahab would know where they were.

_Now that I have it on paper, I like it. Comments, anyone? How do you like Dumah's character?_


	7. Chapter 7

_Yes, I am doing another meeting chapter, but I have to finish this chapter first. _

_N.B. Sorry for the rant about the cushion_

**Kain **

Kain teleported from Dumah's hall to the roof of Turel's stronghold, knowing this last brother would allow himself to be saved. He had seen it in the Chronoplast portals, but had tried the others in a futile attempt to defy destiny. Its claws still held firm, it seemed. He was pleasantly surprised when he tried to enter the fortress undetected, and found the guards extremely vigilant and alert. Not having had a testing challenge for some time, he amused himself for a time, trying to avoid the guards, before remembering his time was short and announcing himself to the guards, who had apparently been even more vigilant than he'd seen, as they unconvincingly feigned surprise. Two escorted him to Turel, their undisguised reverence another surprise. Not fear, reverence. Turel had maintained discipline even through Kain's personal neglect. Despite himself, he could not fail to be impressed.

He was escorted into Turel's presence by his-what? Honour guard? Escort? Chiding himself for wasting thought on such a pointless subject, he gestured for Turel to rise. Unlike his brothers, Turel hadn't bothered to evolve much over the centuries. His clan could deal with any threat barring Kain, and if Kain wanted him dead, he'd die. In any case, none of the other clans encroached upon his territory, which was too remote for any human to reach, so why evolve? He now looked not unlike Vorador as Kain remembered him, and the resemblance was startling enough that Kain was uncomfortable seeing him kneel. When he rose, Kain began to speak.

"As you might have noticed," he began dryly, who could miss two of their brothers dying on the same day, as another brothers life winked back into existence," Raziel has returned, and he has already killed Zephon and Melchiah, and is on his way to kill Rahab as we speak. I have been to see the others, before their demise, and they are either unable or unwilling to flee him. I thought perhaps you might like to escape?"

"Escape how? Raziel was always dogged, and surely there is no safer place in Nosgoth than this fortress? He will find me, and unless he is more forgiving than he was to Melchiah and Zephon, kill me. I cannot mask myself with your skill. I was the one who cast him into the depths. He is extremely unlikely to forget that. Even if I flee, he can find me." There was a touch of sarcasm in 'He is extremely unlikely to forget that' as could be expected.

"There is one place beyond his reach. The chronoplast. He and I will travel it soon, but not to the era I can place you in."

"However you place me, I have evidently not survived to this day, or I would have sensed myself."

"How does one sense _yourself?_ Perhaps you learned to mask yourself in the intervening years. Who can say? Time is short. You will not come?"

"I did not say that. I will come. But demolish the path to my territory lest my clan follow."

"As you wish. As to you surviving until the present day, I plan to send you _forward, _not to an era where you merely delay death briefly. Explain to your clan and come."

Turel explained as quickly as he could, but many of the Turelim had qualms. Especially about the garrisons scattered around Nosgoth. And the rarity of food in the primary territory. Losing his patience, Turel ruthlessly quelled any interruptions and allowed Kain to carry him via hundreds of bats. He reformed briefly to destroy the pathway, as promised, then continued. Reaching the Chronoplast, Kain set it for a hundred years time and Turel stepped through. Watching him go, Kain automatically reset the dials and slunk into the shadows. Changing his mind, he exited the chamber and looked into the portals. They hadn't changed. Raziel awakening, revived by an entity not shown clearly, each of the brother's deaths, the Reaver breaking over his back, etc, etc, Kain being struck down at Williams tomb, Kain not being struck down. That last at least was encouraging, but he had to go elsewhere to find an insight.

Teleporting to the sanctuary, he sat down on his throne. He glanced around furtively, then reached down and touched the base of his throne in a pattern known only to him and a human craftsman who had been covered with gold and exiled. The compartment slid open. Reaching inside, Kain drew out an embroidered cushion. He had made it himself. Any enemies he might have would certainly see it as a point of weakness, but he sat on that throne for long hours every day. It had taken him three years to make, but the end result had been worth the wait. Three talons easily held a sword, a spear, a torch, even a pen, but sewing needles? Only with great difficulty. Especially when the weaver had vampiric strength and kept breaking the needles every few minutes. That, and having to hide the evidence anytime someone was in the room made for slow progress. Even so, the 'vampire lord' factor had kicked in, and the cushion was embroidered with clan symbols mounted on nine pillars, on a field of blood. Sitting down again, Kain waited. In that time, Rahab winked out. Pressed for time, Kain sifted through the memories he'd stolen from Raziel upon his re-emergence after being struck down. Charm was a mostly redundant talent, but he could pick up surface thoughts in his sons when they were in a highly emotional state. Raziel had been consumed with rage over Ariel's fate. Acting on a hunch, Kain picked up his cushion and threw it at the center of the circle. When it made contact, Ariel materialized-in his lap. She screamed and quickly floated away. Kain, just as startled, but somewhat more amused, quickly began to speak, for fear of Ariel vanishing again.

"What was the 'another of Kain's creatures, come to taunt this tortured spirit' about? Much as I miss it, I haven't had time to taunt you in centuries, and I never gave another the honour."

"You know what I meant! I have been hiding from your wraith for over sixty years, and only my pillar allowed me to last this long!"

"A wraith took the time to taunt you? They normally favour the more...direct approach."

"Ha! He tried to goad me out, naturally. He even tried flying up high so I wouldn't notice him. And Raziel killed him. He blames everything on you. I played along. It's vital he hates you enough to follow you through the chronoplast, then begins to doubt so that he can be-"She cut off suddenly. Kain leaned forward, suddenly interested. But she would not say another word beyond one slip after he pressed unmercifully hard, but it might mean nothing. "Why did you release me to sit through this?" before another sudden cut off of speech. Pressing her was getting him nowhere. He let her vanish, but she remained to deliver a last warning, not as cryptic as what she would normally give. "Raziel isn't the one you need to fear. Granted, he is very dangerous, but beware that creature that raised him on his quest."

"Delivered with your usual ominous tone, Ariel. I am inclined to believe. But what is your motivation for allowing me to live? When last we spoke, you wished me dead somewhat emphatically. In any case, I have not forgotten that entity. But, for now Raziel is much more important."

Ariel shrugged. "Disregard my warning at your own peril." She vanished. _As usual, not so much as a farewell. And a warning more frank than usual._

He mused for a while, then teleported to the chronoplast. He set the dials for a few hours before his birth, then retreated into the shadows to wait. And muse. He had considered retreating to his fortress to wait for the end, then decided against it. Better to gain a chance to win with a chance to lose utterly, than to lose with a small loss to his opponent. And his sons would not die for nothing. He would not allow it. Dumah flared in his consciousness. So...Dumah had had to be revived before he could be killed. Wondering what they were talking about, he absentmindedly scratched his feet. They were healing fast, but he hadn't had time to feed when bringing Turel to the chronoplast, so he would face Raziel in a weakened state. He half considered killing one of the Turelim outside, but, bizarre as it sounded, he never killed his children unless they attacked first. So he dozed, recuperating.

He awoke with a start, to hear Raziel's distant footfall. So soon...but then, he did not know how long he'd been asleep. As Raziel entered, Kain stepped out of the shadows, saying mockingly "At last..." Mocking him, as though he'd arrived late to a clan meeting. "Tell me- did it trouble you to murder your brothers"?

"Did it trouble you when you ordered me into the abyss?"

_Aha. Some guilt, defensiveness. A good sign_

"No- I had faith in you. In your ability to hate. In your self righteous indignation."

_And yet... It did trouble me. But it had to be done._

"Lies. You cannot have foreseen all this."

_And you are the only one who can see into the portals? I had expected better of you, Raziel_

"Eternity is relentless, Raziel." _As I am all too aware._ When I first stole into this chamber, centuries ago, I did not fathom the true power of knowledge. To know the future, Raziel...To see its paths and streams tracing out into the infinite..."_The strain is beyond your comprehension, yet. "_As a man, I could never have contained such forbidden truths...But each of us is so much more than we once were...Gazing out across the planes of possibility, do you not feel with all your soul how we have become like gods? And as such, are we not indivisible? As long as a single one of us stands, we are legion...That is why, when I must sacrifice my children to the void, I can do so with a clear heart..."

"Very poetic, Kain- but in the end, you offer no more than a convenient rationalization for your crimes."

_Haha...You didn't understand a word of it. So now confusion blunts anger. Yes._

"These chambers offer insights for those patient enough to look- in your haste to find me, perhaps you have not gazed deeply enough. Our futures are predestined-Moebius foretold mine a millennium ago. We each play out the parts fate has written for us. We are compelled ineluctably down pre-ordained paths. Free will is an illusion." _Except for you..._

"I have been to the tomb of sarafan, Kain. Your dirty secret is exposed. How could you transform a sarafan priest into a vampire?" _So... your anger blunted, you try to sharpen it with a recital of my crimes_

"How could I not? One must keep his friends close, Raziel...and his enemies even closer. Can you not grasp the absurd beauty of the paradox? Sarafan and vampire-we are the same. With our holy wars...Our obsession with Nosgoths domination... Who better to serve me than those whose passion transcends all notions of good and evil?"

Raziel still defended the Sarafan. _And yet... you knew of them before you discovered your past. You think yourself so righteous?_

"Don't be simple...their agenda was the same as ours."

And Raziel mocked him. Before saying "What game are you playing now?" _I will have problems if Moebius gets his claws in him. Do not think it will be easy._

"Destiny is a game, is it not? And now you await my latest move..."

_Sorry, but I just had to have that line the conclusion. If I made Raziel idiotish, sorry._

_N.B. To all you cushion manufacturers out there, I have no idea how to make a cushion. _

_To all you people thinking 'Turel fanatic', the worst is yet to come. Raziel fans, he's absolutely demonized in the next chapterif it mollifies you, remember it's Turel's point of view. So.. Any comments? P.S.I probably should have made this the last chapter._


	8. Chapter 8

_Yup, another chapter. Trying to make a recovery from the dismal previous two. Please review. _

Turel

Turel stirred. He got up, before a fresh wave of attack unseated him from his own mind. He tried to strike back, instinctively, but halted as an unusually coherent thought said_ Striking back will only endanger you. Shield yourself. Memories_. Diving back into his own mind, he searched desperately for a memory he hadn't already fed the creature. There were not many, he had been doing this for centuries. A string of thoughts, he had kept, all centering on Raziel. Raziel? Who was she? No matter. They would do. He crept inside them, and hid.

----

Turel waited impatiently. Raziel had not appeared at the clan meetings for three months now. Perhaps that had not been surprising, given his departure, but Melchiah could hardly be blamed. When the heralds had announced his coming, Kain had assembled a court, to reprimand him for neglecting his duties. Not that he would be punished beyond a sharp note, of course, since Kain respected the right of his lieutenants to govern their own affairs, short of rebellion. And now Raziel had committed a further insult by arriving late. You never delayed the court without a good reason. Perhaps he had one, but Turel privately thought it more likely he was merely unwilling to return. He had always been too arrogant for his own good. Take his departure three months earlier, for example...

Kain made one of his rare contributions. "Why use all our forces? It's a tiny cluster of renegade vampires. They are beside a lake, true, but that's as much a danger to them as us. Normally I'd send Dumah, but his clan are still recovering from those flame elementals. It's unfair to give one clan all the military assignments." They were sitting around a table, goblets of blood treated with anti-congealant in their hands. Except for Rahab, who had a whiskey glass of water. The other clan leaders had some doubts about his sanity, on account of him being convinced that he could overcome the weakness. He took a sip now, wincing as it burned his throat, before being diluted by the walls of blood lining his stomach. He was convinced he was becoming acclimatized, and continued the experiment through all dissuading. Waiting for his tongue to heal before speaking, he said, "Why not the Melchahim? They have had less military assignments than the others, and it would do wonders for their confidence. Melchiah shot him a grateful glance; he was sick of his label as the weakest clan, the weakest target. There were some Razelim in the cluster, he could show his clan could beat the others. Then Raziel said " The melchahim? Hah! The numbers in the cluster are less than a quarter of Melchiah's. There are Razelim in that group, Melchiah would have to take his entire clan to deal with them, with the loss of half."

Kain was amused at his son's obvious contempt, but also enraged beyond belief. "They are a better choice than the Razelim" He said mildly. That was a sign of rage to those who knew him well.

"Oh? What have the Melchahim that the Razelim have not."

"Melchiah?"

Melchiah swallowed, then said " Restraint, Raziel. It would not do for your entire clan to be taunted into a trap because –" He cut off because Raziel had leapt across the table at him. Ducking away, startled, he caught Raziel's foot as it was coming down and pulled, sending Raziel sprawling on the table, which snapped. Raziel, with his usual agility, pushed down on the splintering table and propelled himself into a dive, which quite possibly would have connected if he hadn't been telekinetically flung into the wall in mid-air. "Brawling in a council meeting is unacceptable. Melchiah, gather your clan to attack the rebels. Raziel, get out of here now. The rest of you, continue."

"But-"

Kain drew the reaver. Everyone obeyed.

Yes, Raziel's arrogance was a hindrance. Melchiah had been insulted that he hadn't turned up for his victorious return. And now he was late. Kain was looking noticeably bored. Turel finally heard the trumpets playing Raziel's clan anthem. He straightened. No one had bothered to replace the table, so they had stood for the last few clan meetings. Raziel strode in and knelt. He spread a pair of white, leathery wings. Kain looked surprised. He walked arounde Raziel, examining his new gift. Turel tried his budding telepathic abilities, and was surprised to find he could enter his lord's mind. They were intriguing thoughts. _Why now? My empire is at its peak. Why not wait, at least until it had begun to decay. Curse you_- and Turel was expelled from His mind with enough force to make him stagger. He recovered in time to see the wings ripped from Raziel's back, with Kain's face contorted with rage. Raziel collapsed in pure agony. Then his head rose. And he was moving.

Turel couldn't disguise that he was impressed. He didn't think he could have recovered so quickly. And he would have probably fatally attempted a blow to Kain, whereas Raziel was heading for the reaver, which Kain had left on his throne. When Kain realized what was happening, he ran, but Raziel had a few seconds head start. He reached the reaver first, kain two steps behind. When Raziel turned, the bone structure of his left wing tangled in his feet while his right struck him across the forearms. But Raziel didn't let go of the sword, and even now retained enough agility to turn his stagger into a somersault away. Kain had to duplicate it to retain his grip on the reaver, but he was not as agile as his son, and lost out on the second leap. Spinning away, raziel began to charge a reaver projectile. Kain stood stock still, hands by his sides. Raziel continued to charge it, well beyond the point where it could be released. Kain began to advance. Raziel began to sweat. He had realized he didn't know how to launch a projectile, and his hands were glued to the hilt. Kain reached him, and there were a few seconds of amazing agility too fast for even vampire vision to follow, before Kain got a grip on a wing and yanked. Raziel screamed and went limp. Kain picked him up, carrying him as far as the abyss and flinging him across to his own territory. Two razielim attendants came to him, but Kain would not let them bring him away. When he regained consciousness, Kain Whispered across his sentence, not deigning to shout over the water sounds.

_You have one month to set your affairs in order, then you will return here to be executed. Any razielim who grow wings are allowed to keep them._

This last was mortifying, and deliberately so, to add insult to injury, for now, at leasthis injuries wouldn't trouble him for long.

It was interesting to watch Kains reaction. He largely left the clan leaders to their own clans, and each had their own punishment for over ambitious pupations. Melchiah sent them off to dangerous posts in wars. Zephon starved them for weeks, then set a pack of hunting dogs on them. Rahab manipulated them into fighting each other. Dumah had them fight him in the arena. Turel had them demoted for 200 years to scavenger dutythe worst task in the empire. Raziel executed them and duplicated their gift, being fiercely proud of his position as second most powerful vampire in nosgoth. But no one had ever dared to surpass Kain. Until now. He had not been pleased. The months grace was for his empires benefit, not Raziels. If he was executed immediately, his entire clan would die of shock. Most clan grunts thought of themselves as 'son of' whoever turned them, not by their names. Never 'daughter of' even when they were women. In order to ensure your fledglings survived you, you had to give them names, identity, or they would lose their reference points when you died, go insane or die. That was the purpose of the months grace. If Raziel fled, Kain would know, and repeal the time. Turel shivered, and wondered how he would end.

------

No use! The creatures had eaten through his memory, and now it was fading. He would break soon, and then the creatures would consume him. But not without a fight...

------

Turel stood beside his brethren, bored out of his mind. The last of Melchiah's prisoners fell screaming into the abyss. It was a Razielim. He looked towards the territory of Raziel, and saw him standing there, watching. His wings were carefully folded and strapped to his back. He had finished preserving his clan, and his month was nearly up. He had been coming here a lot recently, making his peace with the waters. And he watched every execution, resignation clearly on his face. Sometimes he dipped his feet into the water, trying to become accustomed to the stinging pain. Raziel was a broken man. Man? Hardly.

Turel was drawn from his thoughts by a large fireball hitting off the sides of the crag. Glancing around wildly, he located the source of it. A large catapult situated above the cliffs around the abyss. The humans wished to make a last stand? Very well. But as he prepared to launch his spear, his sharp hearing picked up the sound of footsteps. A woman had mysteriously appeared on the crag opposite the one they were standing on, and where she pointed, fire blossomed. Ducking a stream of flame, he heard more footsteps and turned. Along each bridge approaching where he was standing, two women were walking behind two vampires from each clan, all of which had the blank stares of the possessed. The brethren severed all the bridges except the one to the sanctuary. They'd need that. Kain had leapt forward to the crag facing the woman, so that was one less threat. When they'd cut the bridges, the vampires had been able to dig their claws into the sleats, but the women had fallen to their deaths. That left fourteen attackers plus the catapult crews. The brethren were in genuine mortal peril. Turel glanced around. Their eyes were shining. They hadn't had the chance for this much fun in over a millennium. Their clans had begun throwing spears at the women, but a claw gesture stopped them. They were going to fight for their lives if it killed them. And they knew it could. Not permitted to help, the clans began an encouraging chant. The brethren dropped into fighting stances. Turel dimly heard Raziel cheering, which was completely out of character.

Dumahim were the first in line. The others allowed him to deal with them. He took a gash to the kneecap, but a blow to the side of the head knocked one Dumahim out cold and the other was flung back across the bridge.

The melchahim were next. Melchiah stepped forward and flung his spear. The Melchahim ducked, but Melchiah hadn't been aiming for them and one of the women went down with a spear to the throat. The Dumahim that had been flung backwards ran over and began to devour her. The two melchahim stepped back uncertainly, then charged. They got in one rabbit punch between them before the first went down to a kick in the stomach and the second tripped over his prone comrade. Melchiah caught him before he fell to the abyss and rammed his skull into the stone crag. One of the catapult crews found the range and sweet, blissful pain washed over the brethren. One of the zephonim was caught in it and was consumed. Angrily Zephon pushed forward and attacked the remaining zephonim as he charged with a razielim. Dumah caught the Razielim and pitched him over to Raziel, ripping off his wings in the process, to much cheering from the Razielim. Raziel got up, grinning, and proceeded to attack his gift, nodding his thanks. The zephonim reeled, clutching his eye socket, but before Zephon could deliver a finishing blow Rahab picked him up and drew him back as a fireball hit where he had been standing.

Two more Razielim ran from the sanctuary and spread their newly formed wings. They hovered just beyond spear range, firing crossbow bolts. Turel concentrated, and brought one down with telekinesis, pitching him over to Raziel when he fell. The second Razielim swooped and carried away Turel before he knew what was happening, and dropped him over the abyss. Turel broke his attackers leg before he fell, then floated down to his brethren. The Razielim screamed and tumbled into the water.

Back on the crag, the rahabim charged. Rahab ducked and rolled as another fireball swept past, then dived forward and hit one rahabim at chest height, punching him in the throat. The second one kicked him in the face as he rose, but Rahab smashed his kneecap, and flung him at the other woman, who conjured a shield, and the rahabim was flung back at Rahab, who caught him by the shoulders and pitched him at the dumahim who had finished his meal and was sneaking up behind the woman. The women, seeing her troops now consisted of two turelim and a razielim, the others slowly recovering from various wounds, sent them charging forward as she tried to flee. But the dumahim was standing in her way, and she possessed him into charging at the same time as the catapult crew fitted out the catapult to fire a sheaf of fireballs instead of one. The Razielim and dumahim burst into flames as they were hit squarely, but the turelim were in the front line and escaped the worst. The brethren dodged the flames, then Turel charged at his sons

And the others bypassed him to shove the flaming corpses from the bridge.

Turel hit his sons a series of blows to the face and chest, but the one on the left managed to nick his face. Angrily, he broke its neck with an uppercut and was abouyt to turn when a spearpoint buried itself in his shoulder. His arm went limp. He used the other arm to pull out the point and hurled it through the turelim and past his brethren to the other woman, who collapsed. A dumahim at his feet regained consciousness and he kicked it in the spine. He turned, and a fireball flew over his shoulder. The other brethren joined him on the crag. As various fledglings regained consciousness, they realized what was going on and fled as quickly as they could.

Without the distraction of being attacked, the fireballs were easily avoided, and the brethren turned to Kain, who had the original attacker down on one knee. She was a vampire: The assembled crowd got their first good look at her, to several gasps. She was a child of Vorador by the name of Driselle, who had been the 'companion' of many a vampire in the empire. Vorador himself, who had been watching the proceedings for some time, and with some amusement, was evidently shocked. This was not of his doings, or he had been practicing his acting skills for years previously. A fireball glanced off Kain's armour. He didn't move. Driselle had made some forays to Kain's rooms too. "Sword or water?" he asked quietly. "Combat!" she hissed, twisting free. Kain was left with a handful of hair as she whirled to face him. He sidestepped her first flame, and connected with a vicious kick to the throat. "Driselle!" shouted collective fledglings. A dozen Razielim, the only ones in a position to help, spread their wings, against the frantic shouts from Raziel "Stop, you idiots!" Kain looked up, stepped back, and was covered in enraged Razielim. Driselle pointed another immolate, but she only succeeded in frying three Razielim. Raziel screamed in rage and leapt from his territory boundary, an amazing leap even for him. He was in mid-air when Kain telekinetically blasted away the Razielim clinging to him, and saw Raziel bearing down on him. Startled, and sure raziel meant to kill him, he fired a reaver projectile. Racked with pain, Raziel collapsed onto the crag, paralysed. Turning back to Driselle, Kain was caught by a direct immolate. He was thrown backwards, but stopped short of the edge, shaking his head groggily.

"You may have the talent, child, but your strength is lacking. No more games."

He teleported behind her and removed her head, flinging head and body into the abyss. Some of the Razielim that had attacked him had fallen, some had not, but each pair of delicate, newly formed wings had been crushed. He cast the survivors into the abyss. Then he shouted across to the amassed Razielim "Leave nosgoth! Now! Any who remain will be hunted down." The Razielim spread their wings and departed, and Kain kept his word with the remnants. He Jumped back to the brethren, then turned, staring into the abyss. He turned away.

"Cast him in."

Turel and Dumah picked up Raziel and obliged, unwilling to challenge Kain when he was in this mood. Raziel broke his paralysis long enough to scream, and was sucked down into oblivion. Kain turned to go, ignoring the catapult crews. The brethren followed, stunned but exhilarated, not having fought for their lives in some time. But guilt wracked them for not intervening for years to come.

-------

Yes! They were tiring! One good memory might see him victory! Searching his mind, Turel came upon an interesting one. It would do.

------

Turel came through the portal, thinking of Kain and Raziel. Perhaps he was safe in this era. A large demon disabused him of this notion. He killed it. A woman with three eyes summoned a dozen more, and Turel was driven into a corner as she considered the chronoplast. He killed four demons before she was satisfied with the setting, and the demons began pushing him towards the portal. He fought frantically, now covered in blood, and five more demons died. But they drove him through the portal, and his last sight was of the woman regarding a glowing disc she was carrying.

------

The entities broken, Turel felt memories flooding back. The woman had tormented him for decades, summoning demons at her whim. He used every small respite to pupate, and now he was monster like his brothers. She and another gave him blood, tauntingly too little to give him power, merely allowing him to survive. He had been subconsciously attacked for months now, but he'd finally broken his attackers. A sudden attack from three fresh entities caught him off guard, and his mind was locked away.

Centuries passed.

Hash'ak'gik lurked in his pit, devouring what was sacrificed to him, living at the whim of another. The Cenobites were devout, but their blood had little strength, and he was weak. He sensed hidden boundaries within his mind, but did not seek to unfold them, for the memories would only weaken him more. He had collapsed from hunger three times, and only the mercies of the death-faced sorcerer had spared him. His only conscious effort was to trap the parasites in his mind, preventing them from leaving him to languish in this hell. He glanced up as another sacrifice teetered on the edge of the pit. Part of him registered that this was strange, that the ceremony was over. But he gave in to his hunger. The sacrifice fell. He hid. But it was strange...he smelled no blood. Could they have given him a living victim? He had deliberately forbade that, for chasing a living victim would destroy all benefit from the blood. He expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms. The victim_ was_ alive. Their scent was tantalizingly familiar. The fragment of him that remembered Turel began clamouring for his attention. Raziel? But he had fallen-hadn't he? Wait. Who was Raziel, and why did he fear the name? This was unfathomable. Then the creature spoke, and again, he knew the voice. What was happening? Then a memory surfaced, with great effort. Raziel, falling into the abyss by Hash'ak'gik's hand. No, Turel's hand. The creature remembered that._ Lucky creature._

And he remembered the hands that bore him in. He had slain-who? Names flicked through his mind-Melchiah, Zephon, Rahab, Dumah...and Turel. All dead except the last. And he would soon die.

"I heard what you did to them...And now, you have found me at last."

"_Turel?"_

So it knew the useless vessel he existed in. He was beyond that now.

"Turel. Yes, that was my name then."

The creature backed away. It thought him grotesque? Perhaps it was right. Yet people worshipped him. "Yes-I am changed. I have become a god. Greater than you ever were, Raziel." How easily that name came to his lips. "Greater even than Kain."

Yet he wished release.

"It is to you these humans offer their blood sacrifices?" _Not to me-no, yes, to me. I am Hash'ak'gik, not Turel. He is dead. Dead! _

"Hash'ak'gik, Hash'ak'gik...Yes."

"But how did this happen?"

Turel did not remember this clearly. But he remembered... "I was summoned."_ By whom? _"There was darkness, and great hunger. And then I was...found."_ By demons with poison blood._

"Why do you stay in this terrible place?"

"Why stay? Would I stay if I could get out?"

He lunged at the creature, then stopped. Perhaps he should explain himself, and enlist its aid in escaping. "While they hound at me and tear at me and-"

**Aroused by his new defiance, the parasites grow in strength and use his voice to command the creature to leave. They say that he can take them no further.** They would stop offering his the scanty blood that allowed them to survive? No! He escaped from their influence long enough to demand blood, or he would languish for years in this hateful pit, without even sustenance to maintain his fractured sanity!

He remembered the name of the creature again. He would have powerful blood, he could break free from the influence of the entities and demand gallons of blood, lakes. And when he could, he would break free! But he was weak. Either he would be killed, or he would escape the pit. Either was preferable. But this creature was durable, and the gongs that had been installed to torment him were too much. He crumpled, too weary to prevent the parasites seizing control again. After which, they departed. He was free.

"Free...?"

_The world shifted..._

He was still in the pit, but it had changed. He didn't remember fourteen giant tentacles, but he had been insane, so he could have missed them. Had been insane? He noticed he was thinking clearly. That was strange. Then the gongs rang. He flinched as the tentacles moved in. Telekinetically keeping them at bay, he fled to a far corner of the pit. The tentacles approached cautiously. Cautiously. That meant he could harm them. And he would not be controlled again. Caught by surprise by his sudden charge, three tentacles were absorbed before they could attack. He charged past the others, and bit to pieces the ones ringing the bells. The sounds fading, he could now destroy the others with ease. He advanced. They fled. He caught the last one before it fled and used it as a ramp to escape the pit. Free! The others wouldn't be ere for a couple of millennia, so in the meantime...

_Long chapter. Was I too roundabout? I thought I had a decent excuse for the scenarios. Raziel wasn't demonized as much as I expected.one more meeting chapter after this._


	9. the first hunt

Meeting

Rahab and how it galled had no choice but to flee as the water drained from the room, exposing him to the vicious sunlight. He had cultivated his limbs for centuries, but could not use them in life. They were capable of supporting his weight in this realm, and now he remained thwarted. The tentacles were not giving up on him, yet he knew that should he escape the building they could not harm him. But they drained the rooms whenever he went near them. Cautious experimentation had revealed that while no flame existed in this plane, entrance into light heralded blinding pain and slight disintegration. Strange really, as when he was even slightly underwater, there was no pain, but being merely wet was no shield. He couldn't even wait until night, for night no longer existed. The humans had rallied, and at great magical expenditure maintained permanent light beyond the clouds. He had to find a way.

Then, so suddenly he was suspicious at first, the idea came. Water did not shield light, it merely bent it. Indirect light was too weak to harm him. He could telekinetically compress water and use it as a powerful projectile. So why couldn't he make some sort of tent to shield himself? No reason except it hadn't occurred to him. He knew any lapse of concentration would leave him a heap of ash, and the tentacles would seize their chance. But they would otherwise merely wait him out. In the circumstances, why delay?

Sure enough, as soon as he advanced, momentarily able to resist the light, four tentacles materialized and advanced uncertainly. Resisting the urge to fire water projectiles, which would decrease his shield, Rahab sped up, reviving his shield whenever he passed a water source. He was faster than the tentacles, but it was difficult to maintain his shield at a full sprint, and by the time he'd outpaced them he had suffered some nasty burns, and his shield was growing dangerously thin. He knew it would be unlikely he'd make the sanctuary.

He made the sanctuary, though he had to rip out the grate in the gatehouse to enter it disappeared and reformed behind him when he passed. Flinging himself gratefully into the waist high for a human ponds beside the bridges, he waited for his burns to heal before going on. Melchiah and Zephon were ahead, and he didn't want to appear limping. On the threshold, he paused. Zephon was perched above the lintel, trying to mask himself. Rahab entered. Two razor sharp limbs struck Rahab's throat. But he had long ago wisely grown thick scales on his throat, and he reached up and flung Zephon into the centre of the room, surprised at how he could do that so easily. A number of Zephonim scurried over to tend their lord, and Rahab noticed how hungry they looked. Come to think of it, so did Melchiah and Zephon. A number of strange green monsters looked as though they thrived. There was a certain amount of relief in Melchiah's voice when he said "Much as it would have sustained us, I should have been very displeased if he had killed you. Limbo, though more entertaining than life, nevertheless palls without stimulating conversation." Rahab grinned. Very displeased? He looked irredeemably bored, but it was difficult to judge. Melchiah's form had a permanently melancholy expression. Guessing his thoughts, Melchiah shifted to his pre-decay form to return the expression. Looking insulted, Zephon followed suit. Concentrating, Rahab was about to try when he realized he'd already achieved it. They sat and talked until Dumah flared into existence. He got closer. Then he halted. At the abyss. The other brethren sighed, got to their feet, and departed the sanctuary, Rahab making sure to summon his shield first. Rahab, unable to resist, had to ask Melchiah how he'd crossed. His brother tried to look crafty for a moment, failed, and said simply "Things repair if you damage them in this plane. So I reversed the process in my mind. This plane seems to be responsive to thought. I was thinking about my pre-decay form, and I assumed it. I doubt Dumah will do that. He never had much imagination."

Sure enough, Dumah was standing at the edge of the lake, terrified. Of course, he was wearing metal armour. Although, when he saw them, he unthinkingly assumed his pre-decay form, and, feeling light, readied himself for a leap. A tentacle sprang from the heart of the abyss, catching Dumah in mid air. Rahab couldn't help admiring the efficiency of the strike, but as he was thinking this he was already in the midst of a perfect swallow dive. He severed the tentacle, flung Dumah towards the others, then planted both feet on the tentacle stump and propelled himself back onto the central crag. On the sanctuary side, Dumah was just picking himself up, and a stunned Turel was with him, staring at Rahab.

"Rahab, I had everything well in hand. Telekinesis would have sufficed to rescue Dumah." Then, with some amusement, "And you go and commit a completely selfless act and ruin my entrance."

"Raziel found you also?"

"Oh yes. Some three millennia ago, I believe."

Melchiah broke in. "How do you sustain yourself in this realm?"

Turel laughed. "Shall I tell you? Perhaps I could have you beg. But that would be unjust. I have had centuries to adjust to this plane. Very well. Those tentacles you have encountered are quite nourishing, if you can catch them. Those yellow diamonds also sustain, but they are rare. Tentacles, on the other hand..."

Dumah grinned, slightly unsteadily,

"Let's hunt."

_Yep, its done. Maybe I'll do a sequel at some stage. Come on, review. O r flame, I don't want to mess up the sequel. _


	10. My theory on what's going on

My theory on what's going on...

The place the brethren go when they die is not the spectral realm, or Raziel would have seen them at some point. So here is my theory on what's going on. Bear in mind it is probably wrong.

An unclaimed soul, upon death, abandons its vessel to wander the spectral realm. Dead vampires retain a link to their corpses, but normal souls wander the spectral realm until they can find another suitable vessel to inhabit. But, if Raziel or an archon devours a soul, enough energy to sustain them remains with them, while the soul is transported to a private sub dimension where the elder god can claim it. An extremely powerful soul can escape his clutches in the sub dimension, and become a rival for prey. Sluagh are souls crafty enough to escape his notice in the realms long enough that they can assume form. They absorb souls to fuel themselves, then use the excess to create more sluagh. Archons exist to hunt down sluagh and unclaimed souls. Sluagh help Melchiah because he can destroy tentacles where too many sluagh would be re-absorbed in combat. When the sluagh become powerful enough, they will pin the archons to the elder god room and manipulate the brethren to destroy his tentacles. Squiddy will starve. Or so they hope.

By the way, in the last chapter, Turel was out of character because he went slightly mad with solitude.

If you see any holes, let me know. Thank you for reading.


End file.
